Sister Dear
by PrincessWraven
Summary: What happens when a mysterious new character appears? Centered around Azula and Team Avatar. Slightly AU, follows the show's plot from OC's point of view. Read it to find out who the OC is ;D Rated K(plus) for some fighting, but it's pretty much just like the show :) IN PROGRESS, last updated on 21/10/12 :)
1. Introduction

**Hi! Thanks for clicking on my story :) Enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Avatar, this would have been canon. At least, Azula wouldn't have gone crazy. And there would be more than one flying bison, because we all need more of Appa in this world.**

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People have called Azula many things. She's crazy, evil, lying, psychotic, scheming. But I know better. She's hurt, a bigger victim of the war than the rest of us. She lost her mother, her brother, her friends, her father, her trust, and now, I fear she is losing herself. She can't trust anyone, and she doubts everything.

She and I are distinct opposites. Yin and Yang. Water and Fire. Moon and Sun. I think this gives us balance. I trust too easily; she doesn't trust anyone. I see the good in everyone. I know that Azula is torn, broken and hurt from the war. She's confused, led along, and lost. I know this, since she confides in no one but me. And you must be wondering, why? Who am I?

Well, let me put this simply, though it's not so simple at all. My name is Azuna, and I am the Princess of the Fire Nation along with Azula. Azula and I are twins, born on the same day. I'm just a minute older than her. We're spitting images of each other, and I understand her more than anyone else does.

When we were three, we had the usual judging for Firebending. Azula proved to be a Firebending prodigy. I, on the other hand, was not a Firebender. I could not shoot fire from my fingertips like Azula. And Azula had the prettiest blue fire! No one had ever seen anything like it. Our father, then Prince Ozai, saw me as a disgrace to the royal family for being a non-bender, unlike my perfect sister. He decided to "kill" me, not literally, but the news was spread. I was supposedly "killed in an accident caused by my Firebending". The nation grieved for a while, but I was soon forgotten.

Father had no need for me. Not many knew of my existence, only my family and a couple of guards. I was kept in a small room, without any windows, not the least bit of sunlight. This was so that "no one from outside could spot me". It was gloomy in that room, and I often ventured out, though I was only allowed to explore the little West Wing of the palace, where it was safe. I would pop by Azula's room, then our older brother Zuko's, then perhaps the spa, but there really wasn't anything to do.

When Azula and I were 11, our beloved brother Prince Zuko was punished and banished for speaking out of turn during a war meeting. I was heartbroken. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye, and couldn't even watch as his ship left, since I wasn't to be seen by anyone. I was shut in my room while everyone else was at the dock, seeing him off. Azula returned with a sadistic smile on her face, as usual.

Now, three years later, we are 14, and we have yet to receive news from our brother. Azula calls him a "disgrace", but I miss him very much, and I can tell she does, too. I hope he's fine. He's been out chasing the Avatar for forever. I think the Avatar is gone, no more. No one has heard of him in a hundred years. I haven't seen Zuko for so long, I'll probably not recognize him even if I saw him again. Especially since Azula said that his face was scarred now, over the left eye. Ouch.

I miss Mother, too. She was banished a couple of years ago, for the presumed murder of our grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, for whom Azula and I are named after. I can tell Azula needs her very much, and I long for her touch. Azula's now the only person I hold dear in the entire world, and it breaks me to see her lose herself like this. She's crazy with power, and only knows fear. The word "trust" isn't in her vocabulary, and you can't blame her. With me gone from the picture, and then Zuko, all the pressure is on her on being the next Fire Lord.

And that's me, and my crazy, messed-up family. I hope things will change for the better, soon.

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**Thanks for reading ^^ Please review and tell me what you think! And click on that little arrow button below to read the next chapter! Thank you! _lessthanthree_ (if you don't know what that means, type it out :D)**

**-PrincessWraven :)**


	2. The Siege of the North

**Thanks for reading** **this far...I didn't think anyone would have bothered :) Here's a cookie, or would you prefer a slice of cake?**

**This takes place during "The Siege of the North", both parts.**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, unfortunately. But if I did, it probably wouldn't be as epic. Thank you, Michael and Bryan, for this awesome show that we all write fanfic after :D**

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I sighed as I sat up from where I was lying on my bed. It should have been around four o'clock by now, but I couldn't tell. My life had no meaning; there was nothing I could do. Time meant nothing to me. My life was a blur of hours, days, weeks, all mashed together. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing to do at all.

I looked around at my room. It was dark and cold, the only source of light coming from the lone flame in the corner. My bed was small, but soft. I had a wardrobe of clothes, though not as many as Azula's had. But who was I to complain? Most of my clothes were the ones that Azula had deemed "unfit to be worn" by her, a princess. I had no objection. The most skilled tailor in the Fire Nation made these clothes out of silk and high-quality thread. They were really pretty, and comfortable, too, in all different shades of red.

Then, there was the door to my bathroom. Yes, I had my own bathroom. That was for when I had to stay hidden in my room, like when we have guests. I had a little window on the side of my room, too. It led to a stairwell that was accessible to the kitchen, so that I could get food and water from the kitchen. Seriously. Sometimes, when the Fire Lord was angry with me (or at the world), he'd lock me in my room. Once, he locked me in for nearly a week. It could be less. Or more. I stopped counting the days.

I think my story is kind of cool. I'm the hidden Princess of the Fire Nation, locked in a tower (my room) by my evil father. I can't believe the war tore my father apart so much that he'd lock his own daughter up. He's crazy, and everyone knows that. He'd gone crazy since our mother, Princess Ursa, was banished. I feel helpless seeing the sorry state my family is in.

I walked over to the door and opened it. Peeking out into the empty hallway, I stepped out of my room and basked in the light outside my dim room. I tiptoed over to Princess Azula's room on the right, a distance from mine. The guards let me into her room without a word. They weren't supposed to acknowledge my presence, and my name was forbidden in the palace. No one in the palace ever called me by name, except for Azula, but only in the safety of her room (or mine).

I slid the door to Azula's room open and crept in. Torches burned brightly on the walls, even though the room was unoccupied. I sighed and jumped onto her bed, lazing there as I had on my own bed. I would just wait for her to return, then.

* * *

About an hour or so later, I couldn't tell, the door finally opened. Azula walked in, not at all startled to see me lying on her bed, drawing circles in the air with my finger. "Hey, Na," she greeted, walking over to her dresser and undoing her top-knot.

"Hi, Zula," I answered, bored. "How was today? I've been bored again, as usual. If only they gave me something to do." Azula nodded understandingly, brushing her long hair. Our hair was the same length because for some reason, we decided to keep it that way. You know, twins and all.

"The usual, training. That useless excuse of a commander should have reached the North Pole by now. He's supposed to lay siege to the Northern Water Tribe, and I'd heard rumors that he plans to kill the Moon Spirit, Tui," Azula informed me.

"Commander Zhao?" I snorted. That man can't do anything properly. How he got to the position of "Commander" remains a mystery to me.

But the dreadful news hit me: this planet couldn't survive with only the Ocean Spirit, La. We needed Tui and La, Yin and Yang. Just like Azula and I. Balance. I really hoped that the Moon Spirit would be all right, somehow.

I'd heard, recently, that the Avatar is alive. In fact, he should be at the North Pole right now. Maybe he'd stop Commander Zhao. I knew this was against my own nation, but I didn't want us, the Fire Nation, to win this time.

Azula sighed, her hair in a tight ponytail, and lay on the large bed beside me. "I'm just so tired...but I can tell tonight will be a big night," She mumbled, half asleep. I could tell she'd had a tough training today, though she'd never admit it. "Shhh," I whispered, and pulled the blankets over Azula. My estimation was that we had about an hour until dinner. That was enough time for Azula to take a nap.

Azula sighed into the pillow I put under her head and fell asleep in no time. I helped to massage her arms, I could tell her muscles hurt. She slept peacefully. If only I could take some of that pressure from her. I stroked the smooth hair of my dear twin sister, weighed down by the war. I sang a soft lullaby and the frown on her face vanished.

She looked so peaceful; I just wanted to protect her forever. I now understood how Zuko felt when he stroked our hair and sang to us, all those years ago.

* * *

After dinner, Azula, with her perfect princess posture, sat on a chair on her balcony in her nightdress. Her long hair was down, and she looked stunning. I had my hair tied up in a loose, messy ponytail and was wearing a nightgown that Azula had outgrown. Which, considering that we were the same size, meant that I had outgrown it, too.

"Wanna bet that Zhao'll fail to conquer the Northern Water Tribe?" Azula smirked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Two week's worth of desserts?" I suggested.

Azula shrugged. "Four weeks," she replied, an evil look in her eye.

I nodded and answered with a smile, "One problem. I bet he'll fail, too. How could he not? This is Commander Zhao we're talking about, for goodness' sake. He's like, the king of failures."

Azula laughed. A sweet, light tinkle, deep from her belly. It was a genuine and real laugh. I savoured every moment of it. It was so rare that Azula laughed out of pleasure and not spite. Secretly, in my heart, I hoped that Commander Zhao really would fail. It was for the best.

"Zuna?" Azula asked. Her voice was small and sincere, unlike her usual commanding one. I turned my head look into her eyes.

"Yeah?" I replied, keeping my eyes on hers. What was she feeling? What did she want? Endless questions popped up in my head, making me feel increasingly worried.

"We came into this Earth together...can we stay together, our entire lives, till the end? Can we watch each other's backs?" she whispered, and if I weren't listening, her words would have been lost to the night sky.

All I saw in her eyes was sincerity. That, and a little bit of fear, hope, and insecurity. I had seen her like this before, just not very often. Now that the Avatar was found, things would change drastically. I wrapped my arms around Azula and told her, in a hushed tone, "Of course, Zula."

"Pinky promise?" she looked up at me, and at that moment, I no longer saw the mean, spiteful Princess Azula. I saw my insecure, sweet little twin sister Azula.

"Promise," I whispered, hooking my pinky with hers. She smiled and sat up regally, as if she'd never given me that scared, small look, as if she'd never asked me for that promise. She looked up at the night sky, peppered with stars; the big, white Moon glowed brightly, as if watching over us.

* * *

We sat in silence, her staring at the Moon, me watching my serene little sister. No matter that we were the same age; she'd always be my little sister.

Suddenly, the Moon vanished. The sky went dark, and out on the balcony with only the Moon for light, we were plunged into darkness. I gave a tiny yelp of surprise, but Azula had obviously been expecting this. No wonder she was watching the Moon, waiting for it to disappear. With a wave of her hand she created a bright, blue flame.

"We'll never be able to see the Moon again," I stated, though it was clear to both of us. I was on the edge of tears. What about all those songs about the Moon? I heard it was romantic for couples to look at the Moon together. What about the Waterbenders? They'd never be able to bend again. I'll never be able to sit here with Azula, with only the Moon's light on us, again.

I held back my tears. What would Azula think? She'd call my silly and weak, for crying about our success. I put a small smile on my face and turned to her.

"So, I guess Commander Zhao succeeded, huh?" I scoffed, and she grinned evilly.

"Yes, I guess he did," she replied, voice full of spite. I sighed and shook my head. Why did I feel slightly dizzy without the Moon? I stared at the dark sky, willing the Moon to appear again, wishing for light. The stars seemed so much paler now, without the Moon.

After a few minutes of Azula playing with her little blue flame and me keeping my head down, trying to keep from crying, I felt the surroundings brighten. Wait, brighten? I looked up at Azula to see if she was making a giant flame, or something that would cause such a big light, but I saw her gaping openly at the sky.

"Wha-" I started, but was cut off as I, too, looked at the sky above me. It was getting brighter, no longer that midnight black, but now a deep, dark blue. The Moon shown a brilliant white in the dark, emitting silver rays of light to touch everything on this Earth. A small smile creeped onto my face, and I quickly hid it from Azula. The Moon was alive.

Azula was frowning, as if trying to find an explanation. "I'm gonna go find Papa," she announced, with a sadistic and cunning smile on her face. I was too distracted by the Moon's light, I simply replied with a soft "mmm". I watched as she sprinted out of the room, her long black hair trailing behind her.

I looked at the Moon again. How was it so bright? It seemed brighter than before. Maybe it was just me. I knew the only way the Moon Spirit could reincarnate was if the Avatar reincarnated the Spirit, or if someone eligible sacrificed himself for the Spirit. Either way, I thanked Agni that the Moon Spirit was alive.

Azula strolled back into the room, her footsteps soft on the wooden floor. "No one knows what happened. We can only wait till Commander Zhao gets back. _If_ he gets back," she smirked.

"Even if he comes back alive, Father will kill him," I reasoned.

"Exactly," Azula said it like she was agreeing to a surprise welcome-home party for Zuzu. I just rolled my eyes. Azula would always be like this. That was how she was. The conversation stopped there, and I soon retired to my gloomy room. It was pretty late.

Lying on my bed, I thought about the people I cared about. _Mother, Zuko, Azula...well, there aren't many people I care about, is there..._I chuckled quietly to myself and vowed in my heart that one day, I shall find my Mother and Zuko again, and I will keep them all safe. For now, making sure Azula was fine was enough work for me.

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**So, how was it? Please review! I'm open to criticism as well, anything, just tell me what you think of my story :) Pretty please?**

**Thanks for reading! I'll post the next chapter by Friday, hopefully, so stay tuned!**

**-PrincessWraven :D**


	3. The Avatar State

**Me: Hello! So, here's the**** (not so)**** long-awaited Chapter 3 of "Sister Dear"! By the way, I think the title sounds a little weird. Any better suggestions for a title? Leave them in the reviews! Thanks!**

**I'll try to update regularly, so do follow the story! *shameless advertising* No, but seriously. The plot hasn't even begun to unfold yet ;) There are many more chapters to come! I'll update as often as I can :)**

**Enjoy the story!**

**Azula: Oh, and _Wraven _here ****so**** does _not_ own Avatar.**

**Me: Duh. But I own this story, so get back into character, you...you...**

**Azula: Don't tell me what to do, you terrible excuse of a princess. *stalks away***

**Me: *cries* I am just as royal as you are, ****_princess_****. So there.**

**Azula: *calls over her shoulder* As if.**

**Me: Be that way.**

**Anyway, ignore our bickering. Here's the story :)**

**Takes place during "The Avatar State", and a little before that, too.**

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"So, what did Father want to see you for?" I inquired, as Azula strolled happily back into her room, where I was waiting, splayed out on her bed.

"Oh, nothing much. You'll get to see your precious _Zuzu_ again _really_ soon," she taunted, dragging the "really". She gracefully sat herself down beside me on the bed.

I rolled over to face her, hiding my little grin of excitement and glaring at her instead. "Tell me, please?" I gave Azula a puppy-dog look that had absolutely no effect on the princess. Since that failed to work, I pouted at her, hoping that would draw at least the tiniest bit of reaction. Nope, none at all.

"Oh, come on, Zula, you know you can't keep it from me anyway," I reasoned, when my failed to gain a reaction from the bored princess. I sat up, frowned and crossed my arms, trying to look as intimidating as I could.

"Zuna, you know that "angry" look doesn't suit you at all," Azula scoffed, narrowing her golden eyes at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Just tell me already!" I whined. This was something new, since I almost never whined. And I mean _never_.

Undaunted, Azula just laughed. I sighed. After a spontaneous little staring competition (which I won), she finally relented and told me the news.

"Father wants me to go find Zuzu dear and get him back home. Apparently, Father suddenly realized the importance of having family here with us. After all, they're the _only_ ones you can trust," she shook her head, as if upset at the state of the world.

"What? Zuzu's coming home?" I nearly yelled in surprise, but I managed to convert the tone to one of shock and disbelief. Azula gave me a "isn't-that-what-I-just-said" look. A smile threatened to burst out from my lips. I was going to see my brother again after three long years! Oh, how I missed him!

"But...why did Father suddenly...?" I trailed off, wondering.

Azula shrugged. "I'm not going to question his motives," she pointed out, daring me to disagree. I shrugged it off and changed the subject, since I had no interest in Ozai's motives anyway.

"Hey, Zula, do you think that, maybe...I could come along? I won't be any trouble, and I'll stay in my room at all times," I promised, giving her a hopeful look.

"Why would you want to come?" she lifted an eyebrow. "I mean, it's terrible. At sea for _so_ long, seeing nothing but the horizon. And the food is horrible."

"I've never been on a ship before," I insisted. "Furthermore, I'll be dead bored here without you. And anyway, I haven't seen Zuzu in _years_. I don't even know what his scar looks like." I gave Azula a pointed look. She grinned.

"I'll ask dad."

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So there I was, sailing for the first time. Azula was right. It sucked. I was getting sea-sick, and I couldn't even leave Azula's room to go up on deck. I'd snuck in as Azula, so I could not be seen, ever, or the crew may start being suspicious, what with Azula being at two different places at the same time.

I was so eager to see Zuko. The excitement bubbled up within me, and I grinned to myself. I didn't matter that I felt like throwing up. I'd give anything to see Zuzu again. But the rocky waves...plus, the food was terrible. _Sometimes, just sometimes, _I told myself, _Azula _does _tell the truth. _I made a mental note of that.

Azula was somewhere _up _on deck, where I wanted to be_ right now._ Lucky her. I heard a sudden crack of thunder. She must be practicing lighting-generation again. Lo and Li were on board, too, teaching her. They were one of the few who knew I was still alive, but they didn't know I was on the ship.

Azula was awesome at Firebending, and I told her so, but she was a perfectionist. Everything she did had to be _perfect_. Sometimes, her lightning and techniques scared me. I shivered and snuggled deeper under the covers, suppressing the urge to throw-up from all that rocking.

* * *

"How're you doing, 'Na?" Azula asked as she looked at herself in the mirror, retying her hair into a perfect, straight topknot.

"Sea...sick..." I groaned, still curled up in bed. Azula smirked, giving me a look that so clearly said "I-told-you-so".

"I'll go see what the crew can do for you. By the way, we've docked," she informed me. I knew she wasn't _really_ going to look for someone to help me. How could Zuko stand living on a ship for _three_ _years_?

I ignored her first sentence, processing the second instead. Wow, living in a metal cabin on the waves for a few days sure makes your brain less sharp...

"Oh? I couldn't tell," I commented after a moment's pause, my voice still a little sickly. The world was spinning around me. "What have we docked for?"

"I heard Zuzu's on the island, I'm going to go look for him now," she said. "In the meantime, you stay hidden. It'll be a _wonderful_ surprise for our _dear_ Zuzu when he sees you here." I nodded as she adjusted her armor and headed for the door.

"Be good now, Azuna, and don't come out till you're supposed to," she gave me a teasing grin. I rolled my eyes at her, and she closed the door and left. She always teased me about missing Zuko. So what? He was my brother; it was only right that I missed him. I closed my eyes to keep the giddiness out, dreaming about falling asleep in Zuko's arms like I used to.

* * *

Azula was gone the whole evening. As I lay in bed that night, I heard the door creak open and a silhouette I knew all too well entered the room. Azula sighed as she lay down beside me.

"How was it?" I questioned her, sitting up quickly to face her. The previous nausea was gone; the ship was comparatively stable docked at the port.

"Well, Zuzu's grown _a lot_ since the last time. He's like, what, 15, 16 now?" she acted like she didn't know, didn't care. "Anyway," she continued. "His scar still looks as terrible as before, but, oh well, that's _Zuzu_ we're talking about." I frowned. She pretended not to notice.

"I've told him about Father's wish to have him return. He seemed suspicious, but agreed. He's gonna pack up tonight and he'll be on board by 10 tomorrow morning," she stated simply. I smiled to myself, excitement bubbling up all over again. I'd get to see him in less than 12 hours' time!

"It's late, let's get some rest," I told Azula, trying to keep my voice calm. She didn't say anything more, just nestled under the covers and fell asleep. I lay awake, listening to Azula's gentle breathing and feeling the ship's constant (and less violent) rocking momentum, a single thought running through my head again and again. _I'm gonna see Zuzu very soon_.

* * *

The Sun was up, and the minutes seemed like hours crawling by. I hardly slept at all last night, tossing and turning with anticipation. I hope I didn't disturb Azula too much.

I placed my ear against the cool metal of the ship, straining to hear what was going on outside, on deck. Azula had gone out to fetch Zuzu ten minutes ago, and would return any moment. I could hardly contain my excitement.

"Brother! Uncle! Welcome! I'm so glad you decided to come," Azula greeted with overly-enthusiastic tone and what I could imagine was a pleasant and sincere smile. Why did her voice sound so sugar-sweet and, well, _fake_? Wasn't she genuinely happy? And if she wasn't, why act? Zuko would probably accept the fact that Azula wasn't _that_ happy about his return._  
_

There were some muffled sounds that I could not make out, and I stood on tiptoe on the bed, keeping my ear pressed against the wall. I thought, though it might have been my imagination, that somewhere in that noise, I heard Zuko's voice. _Zuko. I'd see him soon._

Suddenly, a loud shout came through that I clearly heard. I guessed that it was the captain speaking.

"You heard the princess! Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners home!"

Wait..._prisoners_? Father wasn't being nice, after all, he just wanted to capture Zuko! And Azula knew this! She came here to bring Zuzu back, not as a brother, but as a...a..._prisoner_. She...she lied to me! To _me_!

My heart sank as reality hit me. I could not believe Azula would just lie to me so simply. I thought she told me everything truthfully. I thought I was special. But _no_, I was just _another_ person she'd had to lie to to get what she wanted. Did this mean I would not get to see Zuko anytime soon?

Up on deck, Zuko seemed to realize it, too. The _them-being-prisoners-and-Azula-lying_ part, at least.

"You lied to me."

His voice was sharp, full of disgust and disbelief. Exactly what I was feeling right now. How could she do that? My heart didn't even race at the sound of his voice. I was angry. No, angry wasn't the word. I was _furious_.

I heard fighting going on on deck. Fire was blasted around. I was missing out on everything. I just wanted to see Zuko! But I couldn't. As angry as I was at Azula, and eager to see Zuzu, I could _not_ appear up there. Father would kill me. His reputation would be ruined, and then he'd kill me for sure.

I sighed, resigned to my fate. I heard a voice shout, "Zuko! Let's go!" I gasped. Uncle. I had not seen him in forever, too. I was glad that he was there for Zuko. What would Zuzu do without him?

Then, a clear, crisp voice cut the air. "You know, Father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole. And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar! Why would he want _you _back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?" I imagined Azula looking at Zuko as if he were unworthy of her time and efforts. As if he were stupid.

Her words, though not directed at me, stung. How could she say that to her own brother? To our dear Zuzu? I had half a mind to storm out of the room and tell her off. But I was always rational, never acting before I thought, so I stayed put, thinking of ways to yell at her afterwards without being heard by the crew. I was still crushed about the fact that she lied to _me_.

After a prolonged silence, which I can only imagine was because they were in combat, I heard a splash and footsteps running off the deck, onto firm ground. _Go, escape, my dear brother_, I wished him. I really wanted to see him, but he had to go where it was safe. It hurt to know that he had been so close to me, yet so far.

"Princess, princess!" The men on deck were calling. I wondered what had happened. Azula wouldn't be defeated by _Zuko_, would she? No, she'd never let that happen. All I could do was sit and wait. That was all I could ever do.

A few moments later, Azula stomped into the room, dripping water everywhere. Her hair hang limply around her, and her clothes were soaked. So, she was the splash I'd heard. I stifled a giggle as an image of Azula being thrown overboard filled my mind. _No, now's not the time to think like this, Azuna. You're still mad at her, remember?_ I scolded myself.

Azula frowned into the mirror, shook her soppy mess of hair frustratedly, and pulled her topknot free. With a shake of her head, she splashed water droplets all over the room.

"Hey!" I protested. I wanted to yell at her, to accuse her for lying at me...but what good would that do? It wouldn't do anything. Instead, I looked at my sister, soaking wet and close to tears (though she did a good job of hiding them), and I couldn't help but fetch a towel for her.

"Here," I gave her a smile in the mirror, standing behind her and patting her hair dry. Her frown slowly vanished and she gave me a thin smile back.

"Thank you," she whispered, a tear running down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, ember eyes daring me to say something. I remained silent, giving her a look that told her _it's okay to cry_. She nodded and looked down, recovering immediately._  
_

"Get me some dry clothes, would you? I have business to complete," she ordered, taking the towel from me. I sighed. Azula, my little sister, was gone. Princess Azula was back.

* * *

"Our _dearest_ brother Zuzu," she smirked, completely dry now and looking perfect, as usual. "Is now wanted," she finished. Her voice was sickeningly sweet. I flinched.

With a wanted poster in hand, she exited the room. I shook my head. What was wrong with that girl? What was wrong with _Ozai_, for turning her into this monster? I hated Ozai more than ever.

One question remained, burning into my mind. _Are Uncle and Zuzu somewhere safe? _I hoped for the best.

* * *

**To KarminLove3: **Wow, you guessed the plot! Clever. Shh, don't leak the secret! Though anyone who wanted to know could just read your review and know what I'm talking about -_- Pity you don't have an account. Do stay tuned! :)

**To all the fabulous, wonderful, awesome reviewers and/or followers: **THANK YOU so much for reviewing/following! It means a lot to me. Here, have this slice of pizza ;D Stay tuned! (I think I use this phrase too much :/) I'll update as often as I can!

* * *

**Me: What do you think? Please, please, please leave a review. I'll give you a waffle, or whatever you'd like, since cookies are overrated anyway! (Just kidding, cookies are awesome) Oh, and I'll let you speak with Azula here! :D**

**Azula: No way. Uh-uh.**

**Me: But you must :(**

**Azula: You can't make me.**

**Me: I so _can_. I'm making you speak to me right now, anyway.**

**Azula: Hmmph. *stalks off (again) with blue flames in her hands this time***

**Me: Azula, wait! I'm sorry! Don't burn my books again, please!**

**Azula: Then, I demand more reviews. And don't tell me what not to do. *glares at PrincessWraven, then at the reader (which is you, by the way) menacingly***

**Me: *small voice* Review, please? I'd better go calm Azula down...**

**And stay tuned for more! I'll update pretty soon ;D**

**-PrincessWraven**


	4. The Cave of Two Lovers

**Hello! I apologize for the long wait for the fourth chapter! I had a case of writer's block :( This was supposed to be a little filler chapter, since Azula didn't appear in this episode, but I guess it's still pretty long. I apologize for any repetition or grammar mistakes on my part. My head hurts...**

**I know you guys probably don't feel like reading my long disclaimers, so here's a short one. I don't own Avatar. Okay, now that that's done with, let's recap. Azula and Azuna were last seen on the ship, after their failure in hunting Zuko down.**

**And this takes place during "The Cave of Two Lovers". Enjoy!**

* * *

The first thing I did when we returned to the Fire Nation was to return to my small, cozy room and sleep on my flat, stable and un-rocking bed. Well, actually, I had to first sneak into the palace without being seen, keeping my head down. I had nearly ran into guards, thrice. I had to be more careful.

I could not be bothered to wash up or even change my clothes after those few tiring weeks at sea. I was exhausted. After dropping my cloak to a messy pile of clothing on the floor, I pounced on my bed and slept immediately, fatigue overwhelming my body. I knew nothing but bliss as I snored quietly on the mattress I had known all my life.

* * *

"Azuna, you sleepyhead, wake up!" A piercing voice commanded sternly. I was jolted out of my blissful dream, a dream about finding Zuzu again and - you wouldn't believe this - forging a deep friendship with a girl from the Water Tribe. What was that all about?

I lifted my heavy eyelids, once again grateful for the stability of firm ground beneath my feet.

"Yes, Zula?" I mumbled, my blurry, sleep-filled vision only being able to make out a figure standing beside my bed, dressed in red and black. Her poise was perfect, her tone pleasant, yet threatening. Who else could it be?

"Get up. You're disgusting, Zuna. Going to bed after weeks at sea without washing up first?" I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and studied her again, letting my eyes come into focus. She looked completely refreshed and awake, even though she had been through what I had on the ship. Her hair was tied up in a perfect topknot, not a strand out of place. Her armor was crisp, sharp, and smelt as fresh as ever. On the other hand...

I caught a glance of myself in the dressing mirror, a stark contrast to the princess. My hair was messy and tangled; my clothes were crumpled and full of wrinkles, smelling of salt and grime, too. _Well,_ I assured myself, _she's a princess; it's her duty to look good. While I, oh...right, I'm a princess as well, so there's no excuse for my terrible appearance... _I grumbled at the fact that I looked so much worse than Azula without any valid excuse. I was also still the teensiest bit annoyed at her for disturbing my slumber.

"What time is it?" I slurred, sleep threatening to consume me again. I hardly had enough sleep on the ship; I planned to use this time to catch up on my lack of sleep. How did Azula appear so awake? It was hard enough concentrating on her words. I was cranky, just wanting to sink into that soft (and lumpy) mattress...

"It's been over 5 hours since we docked, lazy. Come on, wash up. You're a disgrace to your room," Azula grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my bed with a strong jerk. I didn't have the energy to resist, just allowing her to lead me by the hand and out of my room, towards her own washroom in her spacious royal bedroom. Azula refused to enter my washroom, claiming that it was "filthy".

I stayed silent, fighting off the blurry fog of sleep as Azula started on project Make-Azuna-clean-again. Don't tell anyone, but Azula loved giving me make-overs. She'd prim and poke me until I looked stunning, although no one but her ever saw me in my beautiful glory. I guess making me look pretty works for her; she used me as an experimenting tool before she tried different looks on herself. I mean, looking at Azula is just like looking into a mirror.

Azula ordered me to take a shower first, since I was simply "disgusting" after weeks at sea. I complied, not exactly in the mood to turn this offer down. Um, hello? Bathing in the princess's royal bath tub, especially since I hadn't bathed in weeks? I wouldn't turn this down. Plus, she had warm water. My own shower never had warm water. While I took my time in the bath, Azula busied herself practicing her Firebending. What else?

* * *

After I was clean and pretty (Azula chose my dress and did my hair in an identical topknot), I sat on Azula's bed, grinning at her, while she looked me up and down like I was her masterpiece. Her bed was just so soft..._No, Azuna, no sleeping,_ I chided myself, turning my attention away from the silk cushions and to Azula. She was obviously troubled if she had come looking for me in the first place. That make-over for me was just to take her mind off things. Otherwise, I wouldn't have complied to her requests, such as wearing this uncomfortable, itchy dress, so quickly.

"I've been given a mission, Azuna, from Father," Azula started, sitting down on a plush, cushioned chair in front of me. Uh-oh. It was never good when Azula used my name. She called me "Zuna" most of the time. I gave her a look that said _Go on, I'm listening__._

Father wants me to capture Zuzu, and hopefully the Avatar, and bring them back here. Father says Zuko's much too _embarrassing_ to the Fire Nation out there, and everyone has failed to capture the Avatar. If anyone can do it, it's me," Azula stated, smirking a little as she talked about Zuko. She didn't sound happy, though, about this news. She sounded..._stressed_. Father couldn't place this much pressure on her. Azula's only 14! It wasn't right.

"You can't do this alone," I was stunned for a moment, before realizing that it was me who said that. This was big news, and all I could say was that dumb line?

"Of course I can," Azula scoffed. "But I won't. I'll have to consult with Lo and Li, but I'll probably have a whole procession with me."

But I couldn't trust anyone, not even the Nation's best guards, with my sister's safety and well-being. "I meant myself," I told Azula pointedly. "I could come with you, you know."

"No you can't. If all the guards don't know of your existence..."

"I can't be seen by them," I sighed, finishing Azula's sentence.

"Exactly," Azula sneered, shrugging this fact off. Did she even want me there to help her? A sudden rage filled my chest, just like it had on the ship. The thought that had been burning at the back of my mind for so long surfaced once again.

"By the way, Zula dear, why did you lie to me about Zuzu?" I asked spitefully, my sugar-sweet voice rivaling that of Azula's on the ship. "I thought it was me you trusted the most." I narrowed my eyes, demanding an explanation.

"Trust? Trust is for peasants, my dear, people who have nothing to lose," Azula laughed a mean, spiteful laugh, shaking her head at my ignorance. I was shocked. I thought Azula _treasured_ the trust she had in me. It turned out that that trust ceased to exist. I rebutted instantly.

"But I'm your twi-"

"You're no different from the rest, Zuna. If I had told you the truth, you'd have tried to stop me," Azula reasoned. That was true, no arguing with that. But it still hurt. The fury built up inside me.

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts. Both you and I know it's true. What option did I have but to lie?"

"I'm so upset that you lied, Azula," I said slowly, tears brimming in my eyes. I knew it was probably the easiest way to please me, but the fact that she _lied_ to me still stung me.

"I didn't want to, but well, Father's orders," Azula sing-songed, studying a perfectly manicured fingernail.

"What happened, Azula? What happened to you?" I asked, trying and failing to keep my voice steady. The last thing I wanted was to breakdown in front of Azula. I held my intense gaze, and she lifted her head to stare me in the eyes. Gold met gold. I gazed firmly into the eyes that mirrored my own.

"What happened to me? What happened to _you_? Why are you suddenly doubting me?" Azula spat at me, probably shocked that I had asked such a question. I didn't doubt Azula very often. Usually, what she said, goes.

"Because you lied to me!" I yelled back, raising my voice, but careful not to let anyone outside hear me.

"I've lied many times before, Zuna. Don't you know Zuzu's cute little mantra, _'Azula always lies'_?" She sneered.

"Yes, but I didn't expect you'd lie to _me _of all people," I controlled my voice, but neither of us missed the slight waiver in my tone. I missed Zuko, and that mere mention of him broke my heart, even if just a little.

"Poor, naïve Azuna. You can't afford to be so _trusting_," Azula gave me a look of pity and hopelessness. I frowned. And thus, the heated argument started.

"You're despicable," I snapped.

"Well, you're just a lazy sloth-bear, not doing anything!" she replied promptly.

"You're stuck-up! You're Princess I'm-the-most-perfect-person-in-the-world!"

"At least I do _something_ with my life, instead of wasting it away!"

We argued for what seemed like eternity, throwing insults at each other like we had never done before. I was just so angry, so full of hatred for my sister, whom I thought I knew.

"Get out of my room!" Azula shrieked, her face contorting into an ugly scowl. "You should have been killed when they said you were, all those years ago!"

Did she just say that? Oh no, she did _not_ just say that. Before I think of an equally hurting comeback, Azula stood up and swept her hand in front of her, a stream of blue fire from her fingertips. She sent a wave of hot, blue flames over to where I still sat on the bed. I lifted my right arm, as a natural reaction to the burning flames that were ready to engulf me.

"Ahh!" I screamed. The fire made contact with my forearm. It felt like a thousand, maybe a million, pins were pricking into my skin. My arm was on fire!

Azula sneered at me, giving me a glare that hurt more than her words or her fire ever could. Her glare said one thing: "Get out"

I glanced at my forearm, my vision blurred by tears. The blue fire was gone by now, though the stinging remained. Tears streamed down my cheeks, both from the pain and because of the stranger standing in front of me. I cradled my burnt arm dearly, giving one last sob before fleeing from the room and back to the comfort of my own dusty, gloomy safe haven.

* * *

_We must have been around eight-years-old._

_I was sitting on Azula's big red four-poster bed, as I usually did, watching Azula practice her forms. Azula had her hair in the usual topknot, and was practicing with a look of concentration and determination on her face._

_"Argh!" She groaned in frustration when she fell, standing up again to perfect the form once more._

_"Maybe you could try bending your knees a little more; would that work better? You're a little too high, that's why you can't kick off over there," I suggested. Oops. Wrong timing. Azula was fuming._

_"Are you telling me what to do? Who's the Firebender here, huh? You know nothing of Firebending, so stop trying to tell me what I should do better!" Azula yelled. She lifted her arms and brought them down in frustration, the familiar blue flames licking her fingers._

_I think she had just wanted to scare me, or perhaps she was just releasing some stress, but she lost control of the fire. The ominous azure blue crept towards me, as if in slow motion. I lifted my arm to block it off..._

_"AHH!" I screamed, the pain of the burn pricking my arm. I gasped, trying to control my breathing, trying to keep the tears from coming. I glanced up at Azula. Was she angry?_

_Azula's firm scowl immediately softened. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth was agape in shock. Quickly, with a wave of her hand, she put out the fire. It was too late, my arm had already been burnt. She gave me a panicked, disbelieving look, asking me, through her gaze, what she should do to help. My arm kept hurting; I looked down at it and saw that the skin was turning red very quickly._

_"Get...get Zuzu..." I choked, forcing back tears. I didn't dare cry in front of my little sister; I had to be strong for her sake, and act as if the burn didn't hurt me. The guilty look she gave me was killing me. I knew our older brother Zuzu would know what to do. He was older, after all._

_Azula nodded, and without a word, she turned and sprinted out of the room._

_She returned a couple of minutes later, holding Zuko's hand and pulling him along. _

_"Zuzu, help!" she exclaimed, pointing to where I sat on the bed. I saw his eyes fill with panic and shock as he took in the situation._

_"I...I don't know what to do," he stuttered, stunned at the shock. His young, ten-year-old face filled with uncertainty as he shook his head sadly. "There's a way, though. I'll go learn how to fix this, and I'll need your help," Zuko turned to Azula, who looked up at him, full of fear. She nodded her head, ready to agree to anything he said._

_"Burn me," he commanded sternly. I think I caught him wince, just for a split second. "Just like you did to her." Zuko stuck out his arm and pulled up his sleeve, inviting Azula to burn him. I gaped in shock. Zuzu was willing to get burnt, for me? Azula quickly shook her head, glancing at Zuko's pale, flawless skin. She wouldn't do it. She wouldn't hurt her brother, or sister, for that matter, on purpose._

_Zuko sighed and extended his left hand, igniting a flame on his palm. His young face was filled with sacrifice and determination. He pressed the flame down on his bare arm, suppressing a yelp of pain. His wince said all. He then ran out of the room, pulling Azula after him with his good arm, yelling at me from the corridor._

_ His instructions were: "Wait here; we won't be long." I didn't know how long I sat alone on Azula's bed, but every second seemed to last an agonizingly long hour. I wiped at my tears angrily, trying not to concentrate on the burning sensation on my arm. The wound kept getting redder._

_Zuko finally returned with a fully healed arm, the skin flawless and unmarred again. As I had suspected, he had been healed by the best healers of the Water Tribe, who had been shipped here against their will to help the nobles of the Fire Nation. There were two master healers stationed in the palace itself._

_"Run it under cold water," he ordered, recalling from memory. "We don't have any special healing powers, but I suppose we could just follow the steps they took." Azula grabbed my wrist, careful not to touch the burn, and stuck my arm under running water from the tap._

_"This should have been done the moment it was burnt," Zuko sighed wearily. "It's too late for that, there'll definitely be a scar." He opened a drawer and took out a roll of bandage, ready to fix my arm._

_As Zuko wrapped the bandage around my arm, gently yet firmly, I thanked him repeatedly for burning himself for my sake._

_"Hey, you're my little sister. I have to take care of you," he stated matter-of-factly, ruffling my hair._

_"And it had better be worth it, too. Now Father thinks that Zuzu had been carelessly playing with Fire," Azula chuckled. I didn't miss the look of guilt in her eyes, though, that she had so carefully tried to cover up. She approached me slowly, mumbling a soft "sorry" to me. I smiled. Apology accepted._

_And since then, I had an angry red scar to contrast my fair skin, running from an inch below my wrist to my elbow. I'd even caught Azula looking guiltily at my scar sometimes when it was exposed, but she'd never admit it._

* * *

I snapped out of my daydream, my arm now placed under running water. Ahh, the relief. Zuko's voice replayed again and again in my head, telling me exactly what to do next. I looked at my arm, now a dark red. Ouch. That scar would be twice as bad. I absently rummaged around for a bandage to wrap my arm in.

What had caused the change in my dear twin sister? When had she changed, anyway, that I hadn't even noticed? When had her expression of panic and guilt from six years ago, forever engraved in my mind, change to one of fury now? What happened?

I couldn't find a bandage, so I took a random piece of scrap cloth from my wardrobe and wrapped it around my arm.

Azula needed me. If she went on like this, she'd become an unrecognizable monster. She couldn't go off to hunt Zuzu and the Avatar alone, or even with a royal procession. She needed me.

And I had to help her. What kind of sister would I be if I let her go alone?

I made a decision on the spot. She would never let me follow her. I'd still go, though, tagging along without her knowledge. I'll just go where she went, just to watch from the sidelines and ensure that Azula was okay.

I had nothing better to do, anyway.

* * *

**So, thanks for reading! Here's a slice of cake for you! **

**Was there much repetition and redundancy? I apologize, my head's a mess. Well, hope you enjoyed it! I'll just go start on the next chapter now...**

**How was the flashback? It's the first time I've ever done a flashback. I think it's too long. ****Review, and help me out, please? Another slice of cake for your thoughts! Your reviews will really help me a lot. They'll also motivate me to write the next chapter faster ;D**

**Here's a big thank you to all those who have reviewed! :D **

**Stay tuned! Be prepared for Azuna's escape, Mai and Ty Lee, Omashu and lots of stalking action! Azula and Azuna won't be speaking to each other for quite awhile, though!**

**-PrincessWraven**


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